1v1 Metagame Guide

1v1 is exactly what you think it is: each player only brings one Pokémon into the battle. This offers quick, entertaining and interesting matches with a whole new outlook on Pokémon.

- How 1v1 is different from the Standard metagame :Since your Pokemon are not able to switch out, there is literally no point in setting up entry hazards such as Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock. Whirlwind and Roar fail to activate, so those moves would be useless on a Pokémon. Due to the fast pace of the metagame, Choice items are exceedingly common as the aim of the or game is to hit hard and fast and Choice items help in doing so.

In the 1v1 metagame, most standard sets are not viable. This is because the standard Pokemon used in 1v1 are completely different from those used in standard OU, necessitating the use of very different sets.

You also need to have good coverage. In the standard OU metagame, you can switch out to a counter if your Pokemon has an inferior match-up, but this is impossible in 1v1. So what you are looking for is a Pokémon that is very versatile. In this metagame, most Pokémon used usually have variations of the standard sets that are present in the standard OU metagame.

In 1v1 it is important to have a strategy in mind and stick to it; it is also advisable to have a Pokémon that has various functions so that it can adapt to the given situation. Some common and effective strategies for the 1v1 metagame are outlined below.

- History of 1v1:

The first implementation of this metagame at a large scale was seen on Smogon with user Ditto's "Close Combat Tournament" over Wi-Fi. This idea was taken from YouTube user MtGXerxe's Pokémon Charity Event. This metagame was an instant hit at Smogon, with around 84 people signing up for the eventual 64-man tournament; on this occasion, user Ferrouswheel was the ultimate winner.

All of this led to an increase of activity in the 1v1 metagame thread, with the users themselves developing numerous new strategies periodically. Soon after, battle simulator Pokémon Online recognized this metagame and added it to their client. This has helped the popularity of the metagame grow and now we find ourselves here in this guide trying to understand what 1v1 really is.

Although initially banned, the item Focus Sash has been allowed to the metagame after a suspect test. As there are no entry hazards in 1v1, the advantages of Focus Sash here is considerably higher than in OU. However, Focus Sash is normally not a strategy in itself, but something that is added on to complement other strategies. The only specific Focus Sash strategy would be FEAR, where you take a hit, go down to 1 HP, use Endeavor to get the opponent down to 1 HP as well and then hit them with a priority move for the KO. Aside from Endeavor, the CounterCoating strategies are one of the more popular ways of combining two ideas into a coherent whole. Another common strategy is to combine Focus Sash with one of the heavy-hitting sweepers with frail defenses to ensure that they can survive a hit. There is no real difference in use of Focus Sash between 1v1 andOU aside from the lack of entry hazards, so it can be more easily used on any Pokémon that needs to survive a hit.

This strategy also has its weaknesses, namely priority moves. It should also be noted that this strategy is namely weak to Counter Coating Focus Sash users along with other Pokémon running F.E.A.R. If your opponent is made to fall asleep, then then whether the opponent has a Focus Sash or not is irrelevant.Sometimes it's possible to Trick the other Pokémon's Focus Sash away and take advantage of it, in addition to crippling the opponent. Pokémon that don't depend on OHKOing the opponent also tend to excel against Focus Sash holders.

Explanation: The main idea of this set is to either Spore the opponent into falling asleep the first turn, or take a hit, survive through Focus Sash and use Endeavor and then Bullet Punch for the KO. Substitute can be used against another Pokémon using the FEAR strategy.

- CounterCoat:

Protect, Counter and Mirror Coat work miracles in 1v1. This is mostly due to the large number of Pokémon being all-out attackers. This strategy utilizes bulky Pokémon and their ability to shrug off a hit and bounce the attack back at the opponent for double the damage, most likely KOing them in the process.

This strategy is often countered by very powerful attackers that can OHKO you and also by using weak attacks to chip away at your Pokémon's health and then using a strong attack for the finishing blow. Most CounterCoat Pokémon are slow and bulky; the most commonly-seen versions of these are Swampert and Blissey. This strategy also has Toxic stalling variants in which the Pokémon uses Toxic against the opponent and semi-stalls their way to victory, but this can be a hassle due to Steel-types being very common in the metagame.

Explanation: Similarly to Blissey, this Swampert set uses Protect first to see what move the opponent is using, then uses Counter/Mirror Coat as appropriate. Earthquake is a powerful attack that makes sure Swampert isn't Taunt bait. Rindo Berry lets Swampert survive unSTABed Grass-type attacks such as Infernape's Grass Knot. Swampert should otherwise be able to survive all attacks outside of STAB Grass-type attacks and Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam. The Defense EVs let it survive a Jolly Life Orb Breloom's Seed Bomb if it chooses to attack instead of Sporing first. Protect helps it beat potential mixed attackers and Slaking, whose Giga Impact may also KO Swampert. The only problems to this set are sleep abusers, Grass-types, stat-uppers and also physical Ghost-types such as Shedinja that Counter can't hit. Specially-based Dark-types tend to not be a problem.

-Sash CounterCoat:

This strategy uses the item Focus Sash to its advantage assuming that it is allowed under the rules you are playing. The idea behind this strategy is to allow the opponent to break your Focus Sash and then either use Counter or Mirror Coat depending on the move. Instead of taking a risk, the move Protect could also be used in order to scout the opponent's move. This way you would know whether to Counter or Mirror Coat. Since these two moves return double the damage, having no Defense and Special DefenseEVs on the Pokémon will allow the Focus Sash to be activated, leaving the user with 1 HP and knocking out the opponent's Pokémon by returning double the damage.

External weather effects along with moves that have a fixed damage amount easily counter this strategy. A sandstorm could cause the user to be buffeted by it and thus lose the 1 HPthat it had left, thus causing a tie.An example of this is Tyranitar and its ability Sand Stream,which summons a sandstorm. Moves that don't do a lot of damage or fixed amounts of damage could prevent the Focus Sash from being activated and thus making the strategy useless. Conditions such as sleep, burn andpoison could also ruin the strategy since if the opponent statuses the CounterCoating Pokémon, then the Pokémon will lose a certain amount of health or not be able to move, thus allowing the opponent to prevent the activation of Focus Sash (in the case of burn and poison) or not let them move and in turn 2HKO them (in the case of freeze and sleep)

- Trick:

The move Trick can be really useful in this metagame, especially against Pokémon that Protect on the first turn. This way, you can lock them into Protect on the second turn, leaving them helpless for the rest of the match as you proceed to KO them.

This strategy is quite viable unless you're facing a powerful attacker in which case Tricking them will just help them KO you faster. This strategy also counters common sleep/Toxic and FEAR strategies. It's not seen very often however, since only a few Pokémon can use this strategy well; similar to the standard OU metagame, this is mostly seen on Jirachi that like to run Choice Scarf/ChoiceSpecs and Trick.

- All-out Attackers:

These are the most used and one of the most effective strategies in 1v1. Choice Band or Choice Specs Pokémon are an example of this. Slaking with Choice Band is very effective due to its base 160 Attack. It can KO most Pokémon in one turn and thus not have to face a second turn of Truant.

Powerful attackers come in two variants - bulky and non-bulky. The bulky ones, such as Metagross, are similar to the ones in the standard OU metagame. They can take a hit or two and proceed to OHKO or 2HKO their opponent in return and can usually be paired up with either a Choice Band or a Choice Specs to bolster their damage output. The non-bulky ones strive to KO their opponent using their good base Speed and attacking stats and can usually hold a Choice Scarf to boost their Speed even further. However, the Choice items are mostly interchangeable and can be equipped as you see fit.

Explanation: This set is extremely similar to the standard lead Machamp used in OU. The basic idea is to always DynamicPunch on the first turn, except against Ghost-types, to confuse the opponent and bring their chances of successfully attacking down to a coin toss. After that, Machamp can use the most damaging move depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Payback is there for Ghosts that are immune to DynamicPunch. Bullet Punch off weakened enemies (usually Focus Sash Pokémon), while Ice Punch covers Flying-types. Lum Berry is the preferred item to make sleep moves useless the first turn as you confuse the opponent with DynamicPunch. finishes

Explanation: This set abuses Porygon-Z's base 135 Special Attack to KO several threats. The wide array of moves grant it amazing type coverage and with a Choice Scarf enhancing its above-average Speed , it is able to outspeed most Pokémon.

- Stat Changing Pokémon:

Using stat-boosting moves such as Calm Mind can be an effective strategy in 1v1. Because there is no phazing in 1v1, the only way a Pokémon can lose its stat boosts is if the opposing Pokémon has Haze, which is a rare scenario. This means that any stat boosts the Pokémon receives are virtually permanent. Another benefit to using stat-boosting moves is the ability to set up on the Mirror Coat and Counter users that are popular in the 1v1 metagame. Using stat-boosting moves in tandem with recovery moves allows some Pokémon to become extremely powerful. One example of this strategy is CroCune, or Suicune with Calm Mind / Rest / Sleep Talk / Surf. With Suicune's natural bulk combined with a few Calm Mind boosts, it becomes an extremely powerful force both offensively and defensively. Add in the ability to Rest and recover any damage and we get a force to be reckoned with in the 1v1 metagame.

However, while stat-boosting moves are great, they face their downfall against Taunt users that can prevent any form of stat boosting from happening. Aside from this weakness, stat-boosting moves are a great strategy to consider when choosing your Pokémon for 1v1.

Explanation: Calm Mind up while your HP is slowly cut down and then use Rest to regain that health and then Sleep Talk and win. This strategy is very useful, unless facing something that is an all-out attacker, such as Slaking or Porygon-Z.

- Toxic Stalling:

Using Toxic on a Pokémon andthen using protect or a recovery moveevery turn is an effective way to secure a win. A Pokemon can Toxic on turn one and then proceed to alternate between Protect and a recovery move as the opponent's health drains away.

This strategy is countered by Steel-types and also by fast attackers. Lum Berry on the opponent can be devastating too, as you will effectively waste your first turn whereas they can attack twice in a row and effectively KO you; making Toxic stalling not the most reliable strategy around. Opposing sleep inducers can also ruin this strategy. Supporting this strategy with actual attacks is a good idea, as then your Toxic staller now has an option to fall back on should things go wrong. Aside from this the rare case of taunt can also absolutely counter this style of play.

- Flinch:

Another strategy in the 1v1 metagame is to rely on the RNG to flinch your opponent for the win. Serene Grace users such as Jirachi and Togekiss, combined with their respective flinching moves, Iron Head and Air Slash, have a 60% chance to flinch the enemy with each attack. While a 60% flinch rate alone is a force to be reckoned with, by combining this with paralysis moves such as Body Slam and Thunder Wave, you can further abuse the RNG to your advantage. When a 60% flinch rate move attacks a paralyzed Pokémon, your opponent only has a 30% chance of successfully completing an attack because of the 25% chance for full paralysis. Paralysis also reduces the Pokémon's Speed to 25%, which ensures that the flincher can outspeed the opposing Pokémon and hax it to death. Serene Grace users can also abuse this flinch rate by using Choice Scarf in lieu of a paralysis move to ensure that they outspeed their opponents so that they can flinch their way to victory. Fake out is also a highly effective strategy, since this way you can use Fake Out's priority along with the ability to flinch, to your advantage in being able to make the opponent loose some health and thus breaking Focus Sash strategies.

While using a flincher may seem "cheap", it is simply a strategy that relies on probability to win and is definitely a viable strategy.

Explanation: The main strategy behind Choice Scarf Jirachi is to outspeed the opposing Pokémon and flinch it to death with either Iron Head or Zen Headbutt, depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Thanks to Serene Grace, Jirachi has a 40% flinch rate with both moves, allowing it to hax its way to victory. The other moves are there for coverage in case the opposing Pokémon resists both of Jirachi's STAB flinching moves. Fire Punch can be used over one of the elemental punches so that Jirachi can hit Steels for super effective damage.

It should probably be noted that Heatran completely counters this set, but as Heatran isn't extremely common in the 1v1 metagame it isn't too big of a worry.

- Sleepers:

Using sleep-inducing moves can be extremely effective in 1v1. Disabling your opponent with sleep for 2-5 turns is invaluable as it allows you to bombard your opponent with attacks while remaining unharmed. Some of the common moves for this strategy are Spore, Sleep Powder, Hypnosis and Yawn. Spore is probably the most commonly used sleep move due to its 100% accuracy and the fact that it is used on Breloom, which can take full advantage of the sleep turns to set up a Substitute and begin using Focus Punch. As Spore is only found on a select few Pokémon, Sleep Powder and Hypnosis are used as well. However, these moves are risky due to their lower accuracy. Yawn is almost always used in conjunction with Protect to let the sleep take effect while avoiding damage. A FEAR Smeargle can also be an example of this strategy, using Spore to send the opponent to sleep, followed by Endeavor and a Bullet Punch for the KO.

Yawn and Protect can be a deadly combination if used correctly. This strategy is highly effective in 1v1 as sleep allows you to get a couple of free hits. Yawn sends at the end of the next turn, while Protect renders you invulnerable for that turn, effectively sleeping the opponent without fear of retaliation. It is important for the user to be bulky since it will usually have to take at least one hit as it uses Yawn. This style is highly effective as its almost guaranteed sleep, the game can then usually be quickly finished with a hard hitting attacking move or two. your opponent to sleep to send the opponent to While sleep is certainly a very good strategy, it does have its weaknesses. Some Pokémon, such as Machamp, will run Lum Berry just to counter the sleep move and then OHKO the sleep user. Although uncommon in 1v1, some Pokémon have abilities such as Insomnia to prevent sleep or Early Bird to limit its effectiveness. Also, many of the sleep users are frail and can easily be taken out by a faster Pokémon.

Lum Berry and Chesto Berry are common on Pokémon in this metagame, seeing as sleep-inducers can have a free sweep if a Pokémon goes off to sleep. These berries prevent the user from falling asleep and this helps to counter opposing sleep-inducers, especially for those Pokemon most at risk. This strategy is very effective against Pokémon that use Yawn/Protect since they waste 1 turn with Yawn and give you a free hit until they realize that you have a Lum Berry and that you get another free hit at them. These berries are mostly seen on all-out attackers such as Machamp.

Choice Items:

Choice Items are plentiful in this metagame, ranging from Choice Scarf to Choice Specs and Choice Band. Choice Specs and Band are usually seen on attackers that tend to aim for the OHKO if not a 2HKO. These items boost previously high stats of these attacking Pokémon and thus increase the chances of a win. A Choice Band for instance would be a good item choice on a Slaking due to Slaking having a very high base Attack stat, which combined with Attack EVs and a Choice Band sends Slaking's power through the roof.Mail

The item Mail is a very peculiar choice to put on a Pokemon. It seemingly has no benefits, as it does nothing inside of battle. It does, in fact, have one benefit, since it cannot be Tricked away from the holder. While this may not seem useful, it has merits on some Pokemon, namely on those who are dependent on changing moves but have little use for an item.

The most prominent example of this is Blissey. The idea behind it is to use Counter against Pokemon using physical attacks and wear down Pokemon using special attacks with Toxic and a recovery move. The problem is, a Pokemon with Trick ruins this strategy by Tricking Blissey a Choice item. This prevents it from healing and limits it to one move, which is fatal. Mail cannot be Tricked away and is a nasty surprise for a Pokemon using Trick, only to get locked into a useless move while its HP is whittled down by Toxic. This strategy was popularized by Ferrouswheel, when he won the Close Combat tournament using this Pokemon:

Focus Sash:This item serves 1 main purpose: To prevent OHKOs and give the user another chance to make an attack. The item Focus Sash is mostly paired with the F.E.A.R. strategy.Focus Sash can also be used with weak Pokémon that carry Counter/Mirror Coat, so the Focus Sash can serve as a medium to give the user a definite KO if Counter/Mirror Coat is used.

+ Final words:

1v1 is a fast-paced metagame where the Pokémon you choose can mean everything. This metagame has a lot of luck involved and that's what makes it exciting, as you don't know what is coming next. I hope this guide has helped you get a better understanding of what the metagame is like and if fast-paced and fun is what you're looking for, then the 1v1 metagame is for you.

Notes on what you've added: A few paragraphs describing each strategy is what I had in mind, followed by a couple of choice examples of sets which use that strategy. No need to credit each set, people who helped will be listed in the article credits at the top. Just list them all together in the post somewhere.

I would replace "Choice Attackers" with Trick, since the powerful attack part of it comes under powerful attackers. Few Pokemon use choice items without Trick, and those that do are almost without exception straight out attackers. Not sure about stall as you have it defined, could you give me some examples of what would fall under that and is popular/effective?

Visual Media Head

Though personally I hate the strategy, the endure, boosting berry, pinch ability, elemental hyper beam desirves a mention. The strategy has a few of huge drawbacks. The strategy is destroyed by priority, the one hit can sometimes fail to ko, and status can also beat it. A standard moveset might look like:
Infernape @ pyteya berry
Naive
64 attack/252 sp attack/192 speed
-endure
-blast burn
-close combat
-grass knot

Explanation:
It's pretty simple: endure while they attack you, then hit with a plus 1 blaze boosted flare blast. Grass knot is there for coverage; close combat is there for a good stab and Blissey choosing mail over chople berry. The set can be picked off after priority, and is beat by 2hkos that don't bring Infernape under 25%. Pokemon can "feint" and choose a move that is resisted with the intention of wasting the endure turn, then KOing Infernape.

Explanation:
The strategy of the set is to take a hit with Kingdra's alright natural bulk and yawn. Kingdra also has the advantage of one weakness and the haban berry can counter that if you fear dragonite. Turn 2 you protect and watch them fall asleep. While they are snoozing, power up with dragon dance then wipe the floor with outrage. Steels are troublesome, but some matchups are winnable of enough dragon dances are reached. The basic strategy technically is applicable to anyone with yawn, a setup move, and some bulk.

A few common sets which are brilliant examples of each strategy would be helpful, but I'm not sure we want to try and include more than, say, 10-20 sets total. The point should not be to give people a load of sets and have the use those, but to give them an idea of what works and how to make sets. And yes coolking, that was something I suggested to badal.

Hide(Move your mouse to the hide area to reveal the content)Show HideHide Hide

[17:30] <ete> hm. i'll give you a hand
[17:30] <ete> by talking you through writing one section
[17:30] <ete> Sleep can be a boon in 1v1. Usually sending your opponent to sleep turn one can help immensely as you can set up substitute and/or leech seed and then proceed to KO it. This is usually walled by Lum Berry, as this can allow your opponent to get atleast one if not 2 hits at you and then prevent you from setting up a substitute. This strategy is probably one of the most ones used in the...
[17:30] <ete> ...metagame due to its effectiveness.
[17:30] <ete> first sentence is a bit odd
[17:30] <Badal> ok
[17:31] <ete> effective or work well
[17:31] <ete> or something like that
[17:31] <ete> actually make sense
[17:31] <ete> can be a boon is iffy
[17:31] <ete> Usually sending your opponent to sleep turn one can help immensely as you can set up substitute and/or leech seed and then proceed to KO it.
[17:31] <ete> why do you mention leech seed
[17:31] <ete> why sub
[17:31] <ete> most sleepers don't use those
[17:31] <ete> say what SLEEP does
[17:32] <ete> not talk about breloom
[17:32] <Badal> ok
[17:32] <ete> "Sleep incapacitates the foe for 2-5 turns, usually long enough to KO them."
[17:32] <ete> something like that
[17:32] <ete> but better
[17:33] <ete> Talk about what beats sleep
[17:33] <Badal> ok
[17:33] <ete> lum berry is annoying, but sleepers can sometimes win through
[17:33] <ete> insomnia/vital spirit pokemon
[17:33] <ete> hell, bulky sleep talk
[17:33] <ete> or faster flinching
[17:34] <ete> or faster pokemon which straight out OHKO
[17:34] <ete> or faster trick Pokemon!
[17:34] <ete> each of these needs to be explained
[17:35] <ete> You could note sub as a precautionary tactic, if they wake up soon you get another chance to put them back to sleep.
[17:35] <Badal> Sleep talk is not used
[17:35] <ete> a few things can use it
[17:35] <Badal> flinchers usually don't carry any sleeping moves
[17:35] <ete> rest+setup
[17:35] <Badal> I'm talking about the 1v1 metagame, not the standard one
[17:35] <ete> no, flinchers beat sleepers
[17:35] <ete> not flinch+sleep
[17:36] <Badal> they beat sleepers yes
[17:36] <Badal> oh thats what you meant ok
[17:36] <Badal> yeah
[17:36] <ete> explain how they can
[17:36] <ete> explain what the sleeper can do to avoid these tactics
[17:36] <ete> Magic Coat!
[17:36] <ete> Magic Coat is awesome on some Pokemon
[17:36] <ete> I used Magic Coat Espeon on ladder
[17:37] <ete> won more than lost, though not enough
[17:37] <ete> the ideas I have just come up with are off the top of my head
[17:37] <Badal> ok
[17:37] <ete> there are probably 3-5 more things you need to cover just for sleep
[17:37] <Badal> mhmm
[17:38] <Badal> I'm adding some stuff as we speak
[17:38] <ete> and every single section needs that kind of detail
[17:38] <ete> you and the other 1v1 players need to talk through it
[17:38] <Badal> yeah
[17:39] <Badal> LinIsKorean has been helping me quite a bit
[17:39] <ete> cool
[17:40] <Badal> the only problem is covering all the strategies
[17:40] <Badal> since there are millions but not all of them are viable
[17:40] <ete> There are only a dozen or so decent strategies
[17:40] <Badal> mhmm
[17:40] <ete> most sets fall into a few categories of strategy
[17:41] <ete> PZ is a Trick+Powerful Attacker
[17:41] <ete> Jirachi is flinch+trick
[17:41] <Badal> yeah
[17:41] <ete> dragonite is all out attacker
[17:41] <ete> and so on
[17:42] <ete> actually, maybe split attackers into two
[17:42] <ete> or just make a clear distinction between bulky and slow ones
[17:42] <Badal> ok
[17:42] <ete> and fast powerful ones
[17:42] <ete> some aim to OHKO off the bat
[17:42] <Badal> yeah
[17:42] <ete> some aim to take a hit or two
[17:43] <ete> and win

And like I've said a few times before, add custap! If you don't know what to say about it, get someone else to write that bit.

Doubts were raised in #grammar as to whether this guide has been properly content-checked. However, I have GPed this anyway in the hopes of making it much easier for any subsequent GP checkers. Don't count this as an official GP check just yet.

- What is 1v1?
1v1 is exactly as it sounds like, each player only brings 1 pokemon into the battle. This offers quick, entertaining, and interesting matches with a whole new outlook on pokemon. - Why 1v1?
This is an interesting question, we all play 6v6. Whether it be Ubers, OU, UU, or NU. Imagine using 1 pokemon that fights just 1 more. But in the world of 1v1, games are quicker and a lot more luck involvedluck-based. Any chance of predictability is gone throughout the window due to there being over 500 possibilities, so you can't out-predict your opponent.the myriad of possibilities that prevent you from out-predicting your opponent.

-History of 1v1:
The first implementation seen at a large scale of this metagame at a large scale was seen on Smogon with user Ditto's "Close Combat Tournament" over Wi-Fi. This idea was taken from Youtube user MtGXerxes'son Youtube doing a Pokémon Charity Event. This metagame was an instant hit over at Smogon, with around 84 people signing up for it. Though only 64 made it. This tournament ended with user Ferrouswheel winning it This metagame was an instant hit at Smogon, with around 84 people signing up for the eventual 64-man tournament; on this occasion, user Ferrouswheel was the ultimate winner.

This leadAll this led to an increasedincrease of activity in the 1v1 Metagame thread,Several new strategies were being developed by the users themselves.with the users themselves developing numerous new strategies. Soon after, battle simulator Pokémon Online, a battle simulator, recognized this metagame and it was added it to their client. This has helped the popularity of the metagame grow and now we landfind ourselves here in this guide, trying to understand what 1v1 really is.

+ How are 1v1 sets different from Standard setsIn the 1v1 metagame, most standard sets are not viable. This is because youdue to the need for a set which is able to counter most of the 1v1 Pokemon.

You also need to have a good coverage. In the standard 6v6 metagame, you can switch out to a Pokemon with a super-effective attack against your opponent, but thats something that cannot be doneimpossible in 1v1. So you need a versatile and yet good pokémon that can suffice.So what you are looking for is a Pokemon that is very versatile. In thethis metagame, most Pokemon used are usually have variations of the standard sets that are present in the standard 6v6 metagame of 6v6.

In 1v1 it is important to have a strategy in mind and stick to it; it is also advisable to have a Pokemon that has various functions so that it can adapt to the given situation. There are several strategies used in the metagame,Some common and effective onesstrategies for the 1v1 metagame are mentionedoutlined below.

+ Common Strategies:

-Focus Sash:Not to be posted until suspect results are in

Although initially banned, at the time of this article Focus Sash is undergoing suspect testing. As there are no entry hazards in 1v1, the advantages of Focus sash here is considerably higher thenthanit is in 6v6. However, Focus sash is normally not a strategy in of itself, but something that is added on to complement other strategies. The only specific Focus Sash strategy would be FEAR, where you take a hit, go down to one health1 HP, endevor use Endeavorto get the opponent down to one health1 HP as well, and then hit them with a priority move for the victoryKO. For example,Theearlier mentioned CounterCoating strategies mentioned earlier are one of the more popular ways of combining two ideas in tointo a coherant coherentwhole. (Where did you mention CounterCoating earlier I can't seem to find it?) Another common strategy is to combine itFocus Sash with one of the lighterweightheavy-hitting sweepers with frail defenses to ensure that they can survive a hit. There is no real difference in use of aFocus Sashinbetween 1v1 and 6v6, aside from with the lack of entreeentry hazards, so it can be more easily used on anything that needs to survive a hit.

This strategy also has its weaknesses;Priority: However,namely, priority moves; however, it should be noted that unless you also have a Focus Sash, if you were against a countercoat sash user, the priority is unlikely to help youthe Focus Sash is unlikely to help you when facing an opposing CounterCoat Sash user. Sleep:Also, if you sleep the opponent, then it probably doesn't matter if he takes the first hit it's holding a Focus Sash. Trick:Sometimes it's possible to takeTrick the other persons sashPokemon's Sash away and get the advantagestake advantage of it, in addition to denying it to themcrippling the opponent. Stall:PokesPokemon that don't depend on one hittingOHKOing the opponent also tend to excel against focus sash pokesFocus Sash-holders.

Explanation: The main idea of this set is to either Spore the opponent into falling asleep the first turn, or take a hit,and survive through Focus Sash, and use Endeavor and then using Bullet Punch for the KOto KO the opponent before they can use a move. Substitute can also be used against another Pokemon using the FEAR strategy.

- Protect/Counter/Mirror Coat:
Protect, Counter and Mirror Coat work miracles in 1v1. This is mostly due to the large number of Pokemon being all-out attackers. This strategy uses certain pokémons ability to return the opponents attack with double the damage to KO them. This strategy should be used on bulky pokémon to prevent a lot of damage taken and more damage given. This strategy takes advantage of bulky Pokemon in order to shrug off a hit and then bounce the attack back at the opponent for double the damage, most likely KOing them in the process.

This strategy is often countered by very powerful attackers who can OHKO you, and also by using weak attacks until the pokémon is at a low HP at which point a powerful non OHKO move is used to KO it.to chip away at your Pokemon's health and then using a strong attack for the finishing blow. Most CounterCoatPokemon are slow and bulky; the most commonly-seenversions of these seen are Swampert and Blissey. This strategy also has toxistallingToxicstalling variants in which case the PokemonToxics the opponent and semi-stalls their way to victory, but this can be a hassle due to the number ofSteel-types being very common in the metagame being used often.

Explanation: This set uses Protect to scout before using either Counter to deal serious damage to physical attackers andor Toxic for the special attackers. Blissey's great base SpDefSpecial Defense will mean that special attacks aren't used on it.almost guarantee that your opponent will try to hit it with physical attacks. Another route that can be taken is one of using Toxic on the opponent's Pokemon and then alternate between Protect and your recovery move of choice to stall them out of health..

@ Rindo Berry
Relaxed
252 HP/110 att/ 64 SpD / 84 def
~Counter
~Mirror coat
~Earthquake
~ProtectExplanation: Protect first to see what move the opponent's Pokemon would use,then use Counter/Mirror Coat as appropriate. Earthquake makes sure that you aren't Taunt bait, and is an overall powerful attackcan hit pokémon that are weak to it. Rindo Berry lets you survive unSTAB'sunSTABBed Grass-type attacks like Infernape's Grass Knot. Swampert survives all attacks outside of STAB grass attacks.Swampert should otherwise be able to survive all attacks outside of STAB Grass-type attacks and Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam. The Defense EVs let it survive a Jolly Life Orb Breloom's Seed Bombbecause it got lazy and didnt spore firstif it chooses to attack instead of Sporing first. The only attacks that kill it are STAB special grass attacks and modest Specs Porygon z Hyper beam. Protect letshelps it beat potential mixed-attackers and Slaking, whose giga impact KO's otherwiseGiga Impact may also KO Swampert. The only problem is sleep abusers, grass types, and stat uppers. And physical ghost types like Shedinja who counter cant hit. Most special dark types aren't a problemThe only problems to this set are sleep abusers, Grass-types, stat-uppers, and also physical Ghost-types like Shedinja that Counter can't hit; special-based Dark-types tend not to be a problem.

- Trick:The move Trick can be really useful in this metagame, especially against Pokemon that Protect on the first turn. This way, you can lock them ontointo Protect on the second turn, leaving them helpless for the rest of the match as you proceed to KO them.

This strategy is quite viable unless you're facing a powerful attacker in which case Tricking them will just help them KO you faster, if not quicker. This strategy is not seen very often, since it has only a few pokémon that can use it well. This strategy also counters severalcommonsleep/Toxic and FEAR strategies. Effective enough and is similar to the one in the standard metagame, the most used form of this strategy is Jirachi, which runs Choice Scarf/Specs and Trick It's not seen very often however, since only a few Pokemon can use this strategy well; similar to the standard 6v6 metagame, this is mostly seen on Jirachi, who likes to run Choice Scarf/Specs and Trick..

- Powerful Attackers:
This is the most used and one of the most effective strategies in 1v1-hit hard. Choice Banded or Choice Specsed Pokemon are an example of this.
Slaking with Choice Band is very effective due to its base 160 Attack, and thus it can KO severalmost Pokemon in 1one turn and thus not havinghave to face a second turn of Truantin which case it would have to take a hit and not do anything due to its ability.
Powerful attackers come in 2two variants-bulky and non-bulky. The bulky ones can take a hit or two and are able to OHKO or 2HKO their opponents, these bulky pokémon usually are similar to ones in the standard metagame such as Metagross.These bulky pokémon can be paired with something such as Choice Band to increase their high Attack or Choice Specs to increase their Special Attack.The bulky ones, such as Metagross, are similar to the ones in the standard 6v6 metagame. They can take a hit or two and proceed to OHKO or 2HKO their opponent in return, and can usually be paired up with either a Choice Band or a Choice Specs to bolster their damage output. The non-bulky ones are ones that stridestrive to KO their opponent using their good base Speed and attack stats, and can usually hold a Choice Scarf to boost their Speed even further.and usually these ones are ones that have good base speed and these pokémon can be coupled with a choice scarf to increase their speed and make them extremely fast.Sometimes slow powerful attackers are given Choice Scarf to make them fast and the Fast powerful attackers are given a Choice Band or Choice Specs to further increase their attack.The Choice items are mostly interchangeable however, and can be equipped as you see fit.Another strategy is to use Machamp, with its access to moves such as DynamicPunch and having the ability No Guard, helps making sure it hits. Confusion can help by winning you the game on a 50/50 basis, but never rely on hax.

Explanation: This set is extremely similar to the standard lead Machamp used in OU 6v6. The basic idea is to always Dynamicpunch on the first turn in order to bring the 1v1 game to a 50% toss due to confusion confuse the opponent and bring their chances of successfully attacking down to a cointoss. After that, you proceed to use the most damaging move depending on what the opposing Pokemon is. Payback is obviously there for Ghosts who are immune to Dynamicpunch. Bullet Punch is there to finish off weakened enemies (usually Focus Sash Pokemon), while Ice Punch is there for coverage against FlyersFlying-types. Lum Berry is the preferred item to make sleep moves useless the first turn as you confuse the opponent with Dynamicpunch.

@ Choice Scarf

Ability:Adaptability
Modest
4 HP / 252 Spd / 252 SAtk

~Dark Pulse
~Hyper Beam
~Ice Beam
~Thunderbolt

Explanation: This set uses Porygon-Z's base 135 Special Attackand manipulates that to be able to KO several threats, along with a wide array of moves, the type coverage is large thus being able to OHKO several threats to the metagame, and due to its speed, it can outspeed several pokémon.the wide array of moves grant it amazing type coverage, and with a Choice Scarf enhancing its above-average Speed, it is able to outspeed most Pokemon.- Boosting Pokemon(Calm Mind, Swords Dance):

Using stat-boosting moves such as Calm Mind can be an effective strategy in 1v1. Because there is no phazing in 1v1, the only way you can lose your stat boosts is if the opponentopposing Pokemon has Haze, which is a rare scenario indeedmove to find in the 1v1 metagame. This means that any stat boosts you receive are virtually permanent. Another benefit to using stat-boosting moves is the ability to set up on Mirror Coat and Counter users, whichwho are popular in the 1v1 metagame. Using stat-boosting moves in tandem with recovery moves allows for some Pokemon to become extremely powerful. One example of this strategy is CroCune, or Suicune with Calm Mind / Rest / Sleep Talk / Surf. With Suicune's natural bulk combined with a few Calm Mind boosts, it becomes an extremely powerful force both offensively and defensively. WithAdd to that the ability to Rest toand recover off theany damage, CroCune isand we get a force that is to be reckoned with in the 1v1 metagame.

However, while stat-boosting moves are great, they face their downfall against Taunt users,whichwho can prevent any form of stat boosting from happening. Aside from this weakness, stat-boosting moves are a great strategy to consider when choosing your Pokemon for 1v1. - Toxicstalling:
Using Toxic on a Pokemon and Protecting/recovering every turn is an effective way to secure a winpretty much win the game. You can Toxic on turn 1one, protect and then recover and then protect and recoverand then proceed to alternate between Protect and a recovery move as your opponent's health drains away. so as your opponent is having its health leeched out, you are taking a hit every alternate turn and healing it that turn itself.

This strategy is countered by Steel-types- Jirachi and also by fast attackers. Lum Berry on an attacker such as Machamp can help too as you will waste 1 turn where Machamp can take advantage and attack the pokémon and thus leaving you with little health, then Machamp can further proceed to KO the pokémon.Lum Berry on a Pokemon can be devastating too, as you will effectively waste your first turn whereas they can attack twice in a row and effectively KO you; making Toxicstalling not the most reliable strategy around.Toxistalling is not the most reliable strategy due to pokémon being able to 2HKO it.Sleepers can also ruin this strategy much as they ruin several others. Opposing Sleep-inducers can also ruin this strategy.This strategy can be viable when used carefully with the right supporting moves and yet being able to damage while toxistallingSupporting this strategy with actual damaging attacks is a good idea, as then you have an option to fall back on should things go wrong.

- Flinch :
Another strategy in the 1v1 metagame is to rely on the RNG to flinch your opponent tofor the win. Serene Grace users such as Jirachi and Togekiss, combined with their respective flinching moves, Iron Head and Air Slash, have a 60% percent to flinch the enemy with their each attack. While a 60% flinch rate alone is a force to be reckoned with, by combining this with paralysis moves such as Body Slam and Thunder Wave, you can futher further abuse the RNG to your advantage. When a 60% flinch rate move attacks a paralyzed Pokemon, your opponent only has a 30% chance of successfully completing an attack because of the 25% chance for full paralysis "fully paralyzed" rate. Paralysis also reduces the Pokemon's speed to 25%, which ensures that the flincher can outspeed the opposing Pokemon and hax it to death. Serene Grace users can also abuse this flinch rate by using Choice Scarf in lieu of a paralysis move to ensure that they outspeed their opponents so that they can flinch their way to victory.
While using a flincher may seem "cheap", it is simply a strategy that relies on probability to win and is definitely a viable strategy.

Explanation:The main strategy behind Choice Scarf Jirachi is to outspeed the opposing Pokemon and proceed to flinch it to death with either Iron Head or Zen Headbutt, depending on what the opposing Pokemon is. Thanks to Serene Grace, Jirachi has a 60% flinch rate with both moves allowing it to hax its way to victory. The other moves are there for coverage in case the opposing Pokemon resists both of Jirachi's STAB flinching moves. Fire Punch can be used over one of the elemental punches so that Jirachi can hit Steels for super effective damage.

It should probably be noted that Heatran completely counters this set, but as Heatran isn't extremely common in the 1v1 metagame it isn't too big of a worry.

- Sleepers
Using sleep-inducing moves can be extremely effective in 1v1. Disabling your opponent with sleep for 2-5 turns is invaluable as it allows you to bombard your opponent with attacks while remaining unharmed. Some of the common moves for this strategy are Spore, Sleep Powder, Hypnosis, and Yawn. Spore is probably the most commonly used sleep move due to its 100% accuracy and the fact that it is used on Breloom, who can take full advantage of the sleep turns to set up a Substitute and begin Focus Punching. As Spore is only found on a select few Pokemon, Sleep Powder and Hypnosis are used as well. However, these moves are risky due to their lower accuracy. Yawn is almost always used in conjunction with Protect to let the sleep take effect while avoiding damage. A FEAR Smeargle can also be an example of this strategy, using Spore to send the opponent to sleep, and then endeavoring it and then a Bullet Punch KO followed by Endeavor and a Bullet Punch for the KO.

While sleep is certainly a very good strategy, it does have its weaknesses. Some Pokemon, such as Machamp, will run Lum Berry just to counter the sleep move and then proceed to OHKO the sleep user. Although uncommon in 1v1, some Pokemon have abilities such as Insomnia to prevent sleep or Early Bird to limit its effectiveness. Also, many of the sleep users are frail and can easily be taken out by a faster Pokemon.

+ Final words:
1v1 is a quickfast-paced metagame where the Pokemon you choose can mean everything. This metagame has a lot of luck involved and thats what makes it exciting as you don't know what is coming next. I hope this guide has helped you get a better understanding of what the metagame is like, so and if something fast-paced and fun is what you're looking for, then the 1v1 metagame is here for you.

- A lot of your prose was awkward so I had to effectively rewrite those sections.
- Please include the names of the Pokemon in the set, not just their sprite.
- A lot of words need to be capitalised, such as Pokemon, Focus Sash, Spore and many others.
- Too many disjointed sentences, they can be remedied by rewording sentences or even just using a semicolon.
- I appreciate that your English isn't the best but for God's sake after this check I've pretty much co-authored this guide with you.
- Implement these changes ASAP please. Even if this still needs to be content checked it will make the guide much much more easier to read.

Hide(Move your mouse to the hide area to reveal the content)Show HideHide Hide

1v1MetagameGuide

​

(are the colors appropriate for such a guide? even though this is making me worried, i'm going to leave it alone.)

+ Intro(space)
​

- What is 1v1?(space)
1v1 is exactly as it sounds like: (colon) each player only brings onePokémon into the battle. This offers quick, entertaining, and interesting matches with a whole new outlook on Pokémon.

(i'm changing it to "Pokémon" because it seems you already use it a little in the article. edit: err, darn, too late but i already did the sweep. i should have changed those Pokémon to Pokemon, but i guess this is okay anyways...) - Why 1v1?(space) This is an interesting question (removed comma) becausemost of uswe all play 6v6 (removed period) whether it be Ubers, OU, UU, (comma) or NU. But in the world of 1v1, games are quicker and a lot more luck-based. Any chance of predictability is gone through the window due to the myriad of possibilities that prevent you from out-predicting your opponent.

(there are the VGC players as well, which is a 4v4 doubles format.)

-(space this)History of 1v1:(space) The first implementation of this metagame at a large scale was seen on Smogon with user Ditto's "Close Combat Tournament" over Wi-Fi. This idea was taken from YouTube user MtGXerxe's Pokémon Charity Event. This metagame was an instant hit at Smogon, with around 84 people signing up for the eventual 64-man tournament; on this occasion, user Ferrouswheel was the ultimate winner.
(backspace this.)All of this led to an increase of activity in the 1v1 metagamethread, with the users themselves developing numerous new strategies periodically. Soon after, battle simulator Pokémon Online recognized this metagame and added it to their client. This has helped the popularity of the metagame grow and now we find ourselves here in this guide (removed comma) trying to understand what 1v1 really is.

+ How are 1v1 sets different from Standard sets(space)In the 1v1 metagame, most standard sets are not viable. This is due to the need for a set which is able to counter most of the 1v1 Pokémon.

You also need to have a good coverage. In the standard 6v6 metagame, you can switch out to a Pokémon with a super effective attackcounter against your opponent, but this is impossible in 1v1. So what you are looking for is a Pokémon that is very versatile. In this metagame, most Pokémon used usually have variations of the standard sets that are present in the standard 6v6 metagame.

In 1v1 it is important to have a strategy in mind and stick to it; it is also advisable to have a Pokémon that has various functions so that it can adapt to the given situation. Some common and effective strategies for the 1v1 metagame are outlined below.

+ Common Strategies:(backspaced)-Focus Sash:Not to be posted until suspect results are in

Although initially banned, at the time of this (is this supposed to be bolded?)article Focus Sash is undergoing suspect testing. As there are no entry hazards in 1v1, the advantages of Focus Sashhere is considerably higher than in 6v6. However, Focus Sash is normally not a strategy in of itself, but something that is added on to complement other strategies. The only specific Focus Sash strategy would be FEAR, where you take a hit, go down to 1 HP, use Endeavor to get the opponent down to 1 HP as well, and then hit them with a priority move for the KO. Aside from Endeavor, (comma) the CounterCoating strategies mentioned earlier are one of the more popular ways of combining two ideas into a coherent whole. Another common strategy is to combine Focus Sash with one of the heavy-hitting sweepers with frail defenses to ensure that they can survive a hit. There is no real difference in use of Focus Sash between 1v1 and 6v6, aside from with the lack of entry hazards, so it can be more easily used on anyPokémon that needs to survive a hit.

This strategy also has its weaknesses, (comma)namely, priority moves. (period) However,It should also be noted that unless you also have a Focus Sash, the Focus Sash is unlikely to help you when facing an opposing CounterCoat Focus Sash user. Also, if you sleep the opponent, then it probably doesn't matter if it's holding a Focus Sash. Sometimes it's possible to Trick the other Pokémon's Focus Sash away and take advantage of it, in addition to crippling the opponent.(space)Pokémon that don't depend on OHKOing the opponent also tend to excel against Focus Sash holders.
Smeargle(space)@ Focus Sash
Ability:Own Tempo Nature: Brave EVs: 252 Atk (backspace)- Bullet Punch- Endeavor- Spore- Substitute

(i'm sorry about changing the ~ to - but they got so strange to me. if you don't want to change them, you don't have to.)

Explanation: The main idea of this set is to either Spore the opponent into falling asleep the first turn, or take a hit, survive through Focus Sash, and use Endeavor and then Bullet Punch for the KO. Substitute can be used against another Pokémon using the FEAR strategy.

- Protect/Counter/Mirror Coat:(space) Protect, Counter, (comma) and Mirror Coat work miracles in 1v1. This is mostly due to the large number of Pokémon being all-out attackers.(space)This strategy takes advantage ofutilizes bulky Pokémonin order and theirability to shrug off a hit and then bounce the attack back at the opponent for double the damage, most likely KOing them in the process.

This strategy is often countered by very powerful attackers that can OHKO you, and also by using weak attacks to chip away at your Pokémon's health and then using a strong attack for the finishing blow. Most CounterCoatPokémon are slow and bulky; the most commonly-seen versions of these are Swampert and Blissey. This strategy also has Toxic stalling variants in which the Pokémon uses Toxicagainst the opponent and semi-stalls their way to victory, but this can be a hassle due to Steel-types being very common in the metagame.

Explanation(backspaced): This set uses Protect to scout before using either Counter to deal serious damage to physical attackers or Toxic for the special attackers. Blissey's great base 135Special Defense will almost guarantee that your opponent will try to hit it with physical attacks. Another route that can be taken is one of Alternatively, (comma)using Toxic on the opponent's Pokémon and then alternatingswitching between Protect and your recovery move of choice tocan stall them out of health.

(no discussion on why to use chople berry or heart mail? add them in and also the use of seismic toss.)

Swampert @ Rindo BerryNature: RelaxedEVs: 252 HP / 108Atk / 84 Def / 64 SpD- Counter- Mirror Coat- Earthquake- Protect(spaced)Explanation(backspaced): Similar to Blissey, this Swampert set uses Protect first to see what move they the opponent is usingwould use, then uses Counter/Mirror Coat as appropriate. Earthquake is an overall powerful attack that makes sure thatyouSwampertisn't Taunt bait, and is an overall powerful attack. Rindo Berry lets youSwampert survive unSTABed Grass-type attacks such asInfernape's Grass Knot. Swampert should otherwise be able to survive all attacks outside of STAB Grass-type attacks and Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam. The Defense EVs let it survive a Jolly Life Orb Breloom's Seed Bomb if it chooses to attack instead of Sporing first. Protect helps it beat potential mixed-attackers and Slaking, whose Giga Impact may also KO Swampert. The only problems to this set are sleep abusers, Grass-types, stat-uppers, and also physical Ghost-types such as Shedinja that Counter can't hit. (period)Specially-based Dark-types tend to not to be a problem.(spaced)- Trick:The move Trick can be really useful in this metagame, especially against Pokémon that Protect on the first turn. This way, you can lock them into Protect on the second turn, leaving them helpless for the rest of the match as you proceed to KO them.

This strategy is quite viable unless you're facing a powerful attacker in which case Tricking them will just help them KO you faster. This strategy also counters common sleep/Toxic and FEAR strategies. It's not seen very often however, since only a few Pokémon can use this strategy well; similar to the standard 6v6 metagame, this is mostly seen on Jirachi (removed comma) that like to run Choice Scarf/Specs and Trick. (deleted extra period.)

- Powerful Attackers:(space)These are the most used and one of the most effective strategies in 1v1—hit hard. Choice Banded or Choice SpecedPokémon are an example of this. Slaking with Choice Band is very effective due to its base 160 Attack. (period) It can KO most Pokémon in one turn and thus not have to face a second turn of Truant.

("merged" those two parts together plus spaces.)

Powerful attackers come in two variants—bulky and non-bulky. The bulky ones, such as Metagross, are similar to the ones in the standard 6v6 metagame. They can take a hit or two and proceed to OHKO or 2HKO their opponent in return, and can usually be paired up with either a Choice Band or a Choice Specs to bolster their damage output. The non-bulky ones are ones thatstrive to KO their opponent using their good base Speed and attacking stats, and can usually hold a Choice Scarf to boost their Speed even further.However, the Choice items are mostly interchangeable however, and can be equipped as you see fit.

Explanation: This set is extremely similar to the standard lead Machamp used in OU 6v6. The basic idea is to always DynamicPunchon the first turn except against Ghost-typesin order to confuse the opponent and bring their chances of successfully attacking down to a coin toss. After that, you Machamp canproceed to use the most damaging move depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Payback is obviously there for Ghosts that are immune to DynamicPunch. Bullet Punch is there tofinishes off weakened enemies (usually Focus Sash Pokémon), while Ice Punch is there for coverage againstcoversFlying-types. Lum Berry is the preferred item to make sleep moves useless the first turn as you confuse the opponent with DynamicPunch. Porygon-Z@ Choice Scarf (backspaced)
Ability:(space)AdaptabilityNature: Modest EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe

- Dark Pulse- Hyper Beam- Ice Beam- Thunderbolt

Explanation: This set abusesPorygon-Z's base 135 Special Attack to KO several threats. (period) The wide array of moves grant it amazing type coverage, and with a Choice Scarf enhancing its above-average Speed, it is able to outspeed most Pokémon.- Boosting Pokémon:(space) Using (not bold?)stat-boosting moves such as Calm Mind can be an effective strategy in 1v1. Because there is no phazing in 1v1, the only way youa Pokémon can lose yourits stat boosts is if the opposing Pokémon has Haze, which is a rare scenario indeed. This means that any stat boosts youthe Pokémonreceives are virtually permanent. Another benefit to using stat-boosting moves is the ability to set up on Mirror Coat and Counter users (removed comma)that are popular in the 1v1 metagame. Using stat-boosting moves in tandem with recovery moves allows for some Pokémon to become extremely powerful. One example of this strategy is CroCune, or Suicune with Calm Mind / Rest / Sleep Talk / Surf. With Suicune's natural bulk combined with a few Calm Mind boosts, it becomes an extremely powerful force both offensively and defensively. Add into that the ability to Rest and recover any damage and we get a force that is to be reckoned with in the 1v1 metagame.

However, while stat-boosting moves are great, they face their downfall against Taunt users (removed comma) that can prevent any form of stat boosting from happening. Aside from this weakness, stat-boosting moves are a great strategy to consider when choosing your Pokémon for 1v1.(space) - Toxic Stalling:

Using Toxic on a Pokémon and Protecting/recovering every turn is an effective way to secure a win. YouA Pokemon can Toxic on turn one, and then proceed to alternate between Protect and a recovery move as yourthe opponent's health drains away.

This strategy is countered by Steel-types and also by fast attackers. Lum Berry on the opponent can be devastating too, as you will effectively waste your first turn whereas they can attack twice in a row and effectively KO you; making Toxic stalling not the most reliable strategy around. Opposing sleep inducers can also ruin this strategy. Supporting this strategy with actual damaging attacks is a good idea, as then your Toxic stallernow has an option to fall back on should things go wrong.(backspaced) - Flinch(backspaced):(space)
Another strategy in the 1v1 metagame is to rely on the RNG to flinch your opponent for the win. Serene Grace users such as Jirachi and Togekiss, combined with their respective flinching moves, Iron Head and Air Slash, have a 60% percentchance to flinch the enemy with each attack. While a 60% flinch rate alone is a force to be reckoned with, by combining this with paralysis moves such as Body Slam and Thunder Wave, you can further abuse the RNG to your advantage. When a 60% flinch rate move attacks a paralyzed Pokémon, your opponent only has a 30% chance of successfully completing an attack because of the 25% chance for full paralysis. Paralysis also reduces the Pokémon's Speed to 25%, which ensures that the flincher can outspeed the opposing Pokémon and hax it to death. Serene Grace users can also abuse this flinch rate by using Choice Scarf in lieu of a paralysis move to ensure that they outspeed their opponents so that they can flinch their way to victory.(space)
While using a flincher may seem "cheap", it is simply a strategy that relies on probability to win and is definitely a viable strategy

Explanation(backspaced):(space)The main strategy behind Choice Scarf Jirachi is to outspeed the opposing Pokémon and proceed to flinch it to death with either Iron Head or Zen Headbutt, depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Thanks to Serene Grace, Jirachi has a 60% flinch rate with both moves, (comma) allowing it to hax its way to victory. The other moves are there for coverage in case the opposing Pokémon resists both of Jirachi's STAB flinching moves. Fire Punch can be used over one of the elemental punches so that Jirachi can hit Steels for super effective damage.

It should probably be noted that Heatran completely counters this set, but as Heatran isn't extremely common in the 1v1 metagame it isn't too big of a worry.

- Sleepers:(space) Using sleep-inducing moves can be extremely effective in 1v1. Disabling your opponent with sleep for 2-5 turns is invaluable as it allows you to bombard your opponent with attacks while remaining unharmed. Some of the common moves for this strategy are Spore, Sleep Powder, Hypnosis, and Yawn. Spore is probably the most commonly used sleep move due to its 100% accuracy and the fact that it is used on Breloom, which can take full advantage of the sleep turns to set up a Substitute and begin using Focus Punch. As Spore is only found on a select few Pokémon, Sleep Powder and Hypnosis are used as well. However, these moves are risky due to their lower accuracy. Yawn is almost always used in conjunction with Protect to let the sleep take effect while avoiding damage. A FEAR Smeargle can also be an example of this strategy, using Spore to send the opponent to sleep,followed by Endeavor and a Bullet Punch for the KO.

While sleep is certainly a very good strategy, it does have its weaknesses. Some Pokémon, such as Machamp, will run Lum Berry just to counter the sleep move and then proceed to OHKO the sleep user. Although uncommon in 1v1, some Pokémon have abilities such as Insomnia to prevent sleep or Early Bird to limit its effectiveness. Also, many of the sleep users are frail and can easily be taken out by a faster Pokémon.

+ Final words:
1v1 is a fast-paced metagame where the Pokémon you choose can mean everything. This metagame has a lot of luck involved and that's what makes it exciting as you don't know what is coming next. I hope this guide has helped you get a better understanding of what the metagame is like, and if somethingfast-paced and fun is what you're looking for, then the 1v1 metagame is for you.

This is kinda messy and inconsistent so I'm requesting a third GP check here to clean this up.

The Focus Sash part also doesn't looks finished due to waiting on Focus Sash's ban. Possibly the third GPer can wait until the justification over Focus Sash is finished so that part is added in.

I also did some minor "atheistic" changes in the below such as no underlines under colons and putting the "pokemon @ item" thing under the Pokemon. I think there are some spacing problems with the above part for some odd reason (hate how it keeps happening) but I fixed (hopefully most/all of them) here.

Copy/Paste version(Move your mouse to reveal the content)Copy/Paste version (open)Copy/Paste version (close)

1v1MetagameGuide

​

+ Intro

​

- What is 1v1?

1v1 is exactly as it sounds like: each player only brings one Pokémon into the battle. This offers quick, entertaining, and interesting matches with a whole new outlook on Pokémon.

- Why 1v1?

This is an interesting question because most of us play 6v6 whether it be Ubers, OU, UU, or NU. But in the world of 1v1, games are quicker and a lot more luck-based. Any chance of predictability is gone through the window due to the myriad of possibilities that prevent you from out-predicting your opponent.

- History of 1v1:

The first implementation of this metagame at a large scale was seen on Smogon with user Ditto's "Close Combat Tournament" over Wi-Fi. This idea was taken from YouTube user MtGXerxe's Pokémon Charity Event. This metagame was an instant hit at Smogon, with around 84 people signing up for the eventual 64-man tournament; on this occasion, user Ferrouswheel was the ultimate winner.

All of this led to an increase of activity in the 1v1 metagame thread, with the users themselves developing numerous new strategies periodically. Soon after, battle simulator Pokémon Online recognized this metagame and added it to their client. This has helped the popularity of the metagame grow and now we find ourselves here in this guide trying to understand what 1v1 really is.

In the 1v1 metagame, most standard sets are not viable. This is due to the need for a set which is able to counter most of the 1v1 Pokémon.

You also need to have good coverage. In the standard 6v6 metagame, you can switch out to a counter against your opponent, but this is impossible in 1v1. So what you are looking for is a Pokémon that is very versatile. In this metagame, most Pokémon used usually have variations of the standard sets that are present in the standard 6v6 metagame.

In 1v1 it is important to have a strategy in mind and stick to it; it is also advisable to have a Pokémon that has various functions so that it can adapt to the given situation. Some common and effective strategies for the 1v1 metagame are outlined below.

+ Common Strategies:

-Focus Sash:Not to be posted until suspect results are in

Although initially banned, at the time of this article Focus Sash is undergoing suspect testing. As there are no entry hazards in 1v1, the advantages of Focus Sash here is considerably higher than in 6v6. However, Focus Sash is normally not a strategy in of itself, but something that is added on to complement other strategies. The only specific Focus Sash strategy would be FEAR, where you take a hit, go down to 1 HP, use Endeavor to get the opponent down to 1 HP as well, and then hit them with a priority move for the KO. Aside from Endeavor, the CounterCoating strategies are one of the more popular ways of combining two ideas into a coherent whole. Another common strategy is to combine Focus Sash with one of the heavy-hitting sweepers with frail defenses to ensure that they can survive a hit. There is no real difference in use of Focus Sash between 1v1 and 6v6, aside from with the lack of entry hazards, so it can be more easily used on any Pokémon that needs to survive a hit.

This strategy also has its weaknesses, namely, priority moves. It should also be noted that unless you also have a Focus Sash, the Focus Sash is unlikely to help you when facing an opposing CounterCoat Focus Sash user. Also, if you sleep the opponent, then it probably doesn't matter if it's holding a Focus Sash. Sometimes it's possible to Trick the other Pokémon's Focus Sash away and take advantage of it, in addition to crippling the opponent. Pokémon that don't depend on OHKOing the opponent also tend to excel against Focus Sash holders.

Explanation: The main idea of this set is to either Spore the opponent into falling asleep the first turn, or take a hit, survive through Focus Sash, and use Endeavor and then Bullet Punch for the KO. Substitute can be used against another Pokémon using the FEAR strategy.

- Protect/Counter/Mirror Coat:

Protect, Counter, and Mirror Coat work miracles in 1v1. This is mostly due to the large number of Pokémon being all-out attackers. This strategy utilizes bulky Pokémon and their ability to shrug off a hit and bounce the attack back at the opponent for double the damage, most likely KOing them in the process.

This strategy is often countered by very powerful attackers that can OHKO you, and also by using weak attacks to chip away at your Pokémon's health and then using a strong attack for the finishing blow. Most CounterCoat Pokémon are slow and bulky; the most commonly-seen versions of these are Swampert and Blissey. This strategy also has Toxic stalling variants in which the Pokémon uses Toxic against the opponent and semi-stalls their way to victory, but this can be a hassle due to Steel-types being very common in the metagame.

Explanation: This set uses Protect to scout before using either Counter to deal serious damage to physical attackers or Toxic for the special attackers. Blissey's great base 135 Special Defense will almost guarantee that your opponent will try to hit it with physical attacks. Alternatively, using Toxic on the opponent's Pokémon and then switching between Protect and your recovery move of choice can stall them out of health.

Explanation: Similar to Blissey, this Swampert set uses Protect first to see what move the opponent is using, then uses Counter/Mirror Coat as appropriate. Earthquake is an overall powerful attack that makes sure Swampert isn't Taunt bait. Rindo Berry lets Swampert survive unSTABed Grass-type attacks such as Infernape's Grass Knot. Swampert should otherwise be able to survive all attacks outside of STAB Grass-type attacks and Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam. The Defense EVs let it survive a Jolly Life Orb Breloom's Seed Bomb if it chooses to attack instead of Sporing first. Protect helps it beat potential mixed-attackers and Slaking, whose Giga Impact may also KO Swampert. The only problems to this set are sleep abusers, Grass-types, stat-uppers, and also physical Ghost-types such as Shedinja that Counter can't hit. Specially-based Dark-types tend to not be a problem.

- Trick:The move Trick can be really useful in this metagame, especially against Pokémon that Protect on the first turn. This way, you can lock them into Protect on the second turn, leaving them helpless for the rest of the match as you proceed to KO them.

This strategy is quite viable unless you're facing a powerful attacker in which case Tricking them will just help them KO you faster. This strategy also counters common sleep/Toxic and FEAR strategies. It's not seen very often however, since only a few Pokémon can use this strategy well; similar to the standard 6v6 metagame, this is mostly seen on Jirachi that like to run Choice Scarf/Specs and Trick.

- Powerful Attackers:

These are the most used and one of the most effective strategies in 1v1—hit hard. Choice Banded or Choice Speced Pokémon are an example of this. Slaking with Choice Band is very effective due to its base 160 Attack. It can KO most Pokémon in one turn and thus not have to face a second turn of Truant.

Powerful attackers come in two variants—bulky and non-bulky. The bulky ones, such as Metagross, are similar to the ones in the standard 6v6 metagame. They can take a hit or two and proceed to OHKO or 2HKO their opponent in return, and can usually be paired up with either a Choice Band or a Choice Specs to bolster their damage output. The non-bulky ones strive to KO their opponent using their good base Speed and attacking stats, and can usually hold a Choice Scarf to boost their Speed even further. However, the Choice items are mostly interchangeable, and can be equipped as you see fit.

Explanation: This set is extremely similar to the standard lead Machamp used in OU 6v6. The basic idea is to always DynamicPunchon the first turn except against Ghost-types to confuse the opponent and bring their chances of successfully attacking down to a coin toss. After that, Machamp can use the most damaging move depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Payback is there for Ghosts that are immune to DynamicPunch. Bullet Punch finishes off weakened enemies (usually Focus Sash Pokémon), while Ice Punch covers Flying-types. Lum Berry is the preferred item to make sleep moves useless the first turn as you confuse the opponent with DynamicPunch.

Explanation: This set abuses Porygon-Z's base 135 Special Attack to KO several threats. The wide array of moves grant it amazing type coverage, and with a Choice Scarf enhancing its above-average Speed, it is able to outspeed most Pokémon.- Boosting Pokémon:Using stat-boosting moves such as Calm Mind can be an effective strategy in 1v1. Because there is no phazing in 1v1, the only way a Pokémon can lose its stat boosts is if the opposing Pokémon has Haze, which is a rare scenario. This means that any stat boosts the Pokémon receives are virtually permanent. Another benefit to using stat-boosting moves is the ability to set up on Mirror Coat and Counter users that are popular in the 1v1 metagame. Using stat-boosting moves in tandem with recovery moves allows some Pokémon to become extremely powerful. One example of this strategy is CroCune, or Suicune with Calm Mind / Rest / Sleep Talk / Surf. With Suicune's natural bulk combined with a few Calm Mind boosts, it becomes an extremely powerful force both offensively and defensively. Add in the ability to Rest and recover any damage and we get a force that is to be reckoned with in the 1v1 metagame.

However, while stat-boosting moves are great, they face their downfall against Taunt users that can prevent any form of stat boosting from happening. Aside from this weakness, stat-boosting moves are a great strategy to consider when choosing your Pokémon for 1v1.

- Toxic Stalling:

Using Toxic on a Pokémon and Protecting/recovering every turn is an effective way to secure a win. A Pokemon can Toxic on turn one, and then proceed to alternate between Protect and a recovery move as the opponent's health drains away.

This strategy is countered by Steel-types and also by fast attackers. Lum Berry on the opponent can be devastating too, as you will effectively waste your first turn whereas they can attack twice in a row and effectively KO you; making Toxic stalling not the most reliable strategy around. Opposing sleep inducers can also ruin this strategy. Supporting this strategy with actual attacks is a good idea, as then your Toxic staller now has an option to fall back on should things go wrong.

- Flinch:

Another strategy in the 1v1 metagame is to rely on the RNG to flinch your opponent for the win. Serene Grace users such as Jirachi and Togekiss, combined with their respective flinching moves, Iron Head and Air Slash, have a 60% chance to flinch the enemy with each attack. While a 60% flinch rate alone is a force to be reckoned with, by combining this with paralysis moves such as Body Slam and Thunder Wave, you can further abuse the RNG to your advantage. When a 60% flinch rate move attacks a paralyzed Pokémon, your opponent only has a 30% chance of successfully completing an attack because of the 25% chance for full paralysis. Paralysis also reduces the Pokémon's Speed to 25%, which ensures that the flincher can outspeed the opposing Pokémon and hax it to death. Serene Grace users can also abuse this flinch rate by using Choice Scarf in lieu of a paralysis move to ensure that they outspeed their opponents so that they can flinch their way to victory.

While using a flincher may seem "cheap", it is simply a strategy that relies on probability to win and is definitely a viable strategy.

Explanation: The main strategy behind Choice Scarf Jirachi is to outspeed the opposing Pokémon and flinch it to death with either Iron Head or Zen Headbutt, depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Thanks to Serene Grace, Jirachi has a 60% flinch rate with both moves, allowing it to hax its way to victory. The other moves are there for coverage in case the opposing Pokémon resists both of Jirachi's STAB flinching moves. Fire Punch can be used over one of the elemental punches so that Jirachi can hit Steels for super effective damage.

It should probably be noted that Heatran completely counters this set, but as Heatran isn't extremely common in the 1v1 metagame it isn't too big of a worry.

- Sleepers:

Using sleep-inducing moves can be extremely effective in 1v1. Disabling your opponent with sleep for 2-5 turns is invaluable as it allows you to bombard your opponent with attacks while remaining unharmed. Some of the common moves for this strategy are Spore, Sleep Powder, Hypnosis, and Yawn. Spore is probably the most commonly used sleep move due to its 100% accuracy and the fact that it is used on Breloom, which can take full advantage of the sleep turns to set up a Substitute and begin using Focus Punch. As Spore is only found on a select few Pokémon, Sleep Powder and Hypnosis are used as well. However, these moves are risky due to their lower accuracy. Yawn is almost always used in conjunction with Protect to let the sleep take effect while avoiding damage. A FEAR Smeargle can also be an example of this strategy, using Spore to send the opponent to sleep,followed by Endeavor and a Bullet Punch for the KO.

While sleep is certainly a very good strategy, it does have its weaknesses. Some Pokémon, such as Machamp, will run Lum Berry just to counter the sleep move and then OHKO the sleep user. Although uncommon in 1v1, some Pokémon have abilities such as Insomnia to prevent sleep or Early Bird to limit its effectiveness. Also, many of the sleep users are frail and can easily be taken out by a faster Pokémon.

1v1 is a fast-paced metagame where the Pokémon you choose can mean everything. This metagame has a lot of luck involved and that's what makes it exciting as you don't know what is coming next. I hope this guide has helped you get a better understanding of what the metagame is like, and if fast-paced and fun is what you're looking for, then the 1v1 metagame is for you.

The item Mail is a very peculiar choice to put on a pokemon. It seemingly has no benefits, as it does nothing inside of battle. It does, in fact, have one benifit, it being that it cannot be tricked away from the holder. While this may not seems useful, it has merits on some pokemon, namely on pokemon who are dependent on changing moves but have little use for an item.

The most prominent example of this is like a defensive pokemon, such as Blissey. The idea behind it is to counter pokemon using physical attacks, and wear down pokemon using special attacks with toxic and a recovery move. The problem is, a pokemon with trick ruins this strategy by tricking Blissey a choice item. This doesn’t let it heal and limits it to one move, which is fetal. Mail doesn’t allow itself to be tricked away and is a nasty surprise for a pokemon using trick, only to get locked into a useless move while its HP whittles away. This strategy was popularized by FerrousWheel, when he won the Close Combat tournament using this Pokemon:Blissey - Heart Mail Bold - Natural Cure - 252 HP / 252 Def / 4 SpeToxicCounterRest Protect

The item Mail is a very peculiar choice to put on a pokemon. It seemingly has no benefits, as it does nothing inside of battle. It does, in fact, have one benefit, it being that it cannot be tricked away from the holder. While this may not seems useful, it has merits on some Pokemon, namely on Pokemon who are dependent on changing moves but have little use for an item.

The most prominent example of this is like a defensive Pokemon, such as Blissey. The idea behind it is to counter Pokemon using physical attacks, and wear down Pokemon using special attacks with Toxic and a recovery move. The problem is, a Pokemon with Trick ruins this strategy by Tricking Blissey a choice item. This doesn’t let it heal and limits it to one move, which is fatal. Mail cannot be tricked away and is a nasty surprise for a Pokemon using Trick, only to get locked into a useless move while its HP is whittled away. This strategy was popularized by FerrousWheel, when he won the Close Combat tournament using this Pokemon:
Blissey @ Heart Mail Bold
Natural Cure
252 HP / 252 Def / 4 Spe
-Toxic
-Counter
-Rest
-Protect

Click to expand...

I'm not on the GP team, just did a quick check of coolking49's part on Mail.

You had quite a few problems with capitalisation and awkward sentence structure - I got everything I could but I'm going to withold on stamping this until you implement these changes, as I found quite a few incorrect statements and things that needed further explanation that I want cleaned up before I stamp it.

1v1 is exactly as it sounds like what you think it is: each player only brings one Pokémon into the battle. This offers quick, entertaining, and interesting matches with a whole new outlook on Pokémon.

- How 1v1 is different from the Standard metagame :

Due to there not beingpokemon toSince yourPokemon are not able to switch out,(comma) there remains no point anymore is literally no point in setting up entry hazards such as toxic spikes Toxic Spikes or stealth rocks Stealth Rock. There is no more need to whirlwind or roar Whirlwind and Roar fail to activate, so those moves would be useless on a Pokémon. Due to the fast pace of the metagame, the number of Choice items are highChoice items are exceedingly common as the aim of the Pokémon becomes game is to hit hard and fast,(comma) and choice Choice items help in doing so.

In the 1v1 metagame, most standard sets are not viable. This is due to the need for a set which is able to counter most of the 1v1 Pokémon because the standard Pokemon used in 1v1 are completely different from those used in standard OU, necessitating the use of very different sets.

You also need to have good coverage. In the standard 6v6 OU metagame, you can switch out to a counteragainst your opponent if your Pokemon has an inferior match-up, but this is impossible in 1v1. So what you are looking for is a Pokémon that is very versatile. In this metagame, most Pokémon used usually have variations of the standard sets that are present in the standard 6v6 OU metagame.

In 1v1 it is important to have a strategy in mind and stick to it; it is also advisable to have a Pokémon that has various functions so that it can adapt to the given situation. Some common and effective strategies for the 1v1 metagame are outlined below.

- History of 1v1:

The first implementation of this metagame at a large scale was seen on Smogon with user Ditto's "Close Combat Tournament" over Wi-Fi. This idea was taken from YouTube user MtGXerxe's Pokémon Charity Event. This metagame was an instant hit at Smogon, with around 84 people signing up for the eventual 64-man tournament; on this occasion, user Ferrouswheel was the ultimate winner.

All of this led to an increase of activity in the 1v1 metagame thread, with the users themselves developing numerous new strategies periodically. Soon after, battle simulator Pokémon Online recognized this metagame and added it to their client. This has helped the popularity of the metagame grow and now we find ourselves here in this guide trying to understand what 1v1 really is.

[Can I just ask, what's the point of Soul Dew Clause when Lati@s are banned anyway?]

+ Common Strategies:

-F.E.A.R:

Although initially banned, the item focus sash Focus Sash has been allowed to the metagame after a suspect test. As there are no entry hazards in 1v1, the advantages of Focus Sash here is considerably higher than in 6v6 OU. However, Focus Sash is normally not a strategy in of itself, but something that is added on to complement other strategies. The only specific Focus Sash strategy would be FEAR, where you take a hit, go down to 1 HP, use Endeavor to get the opponent down to 1 HP as well, and then hit them with a priority move for the KO. Aside from Endeavor, the CounterCoating strategies are one of the more popular ways of combining two ideas into a coherent whole. Another common strategy is to combine Focus Sash with one of the heavy-hitting sweepers with frail defenses to ensure that they can survive a hit. There is no real difference in use of Focus Sash between 1v1 and 6v6 OU, aside from with the lack of entry hazards, so it can be more easily used on any Pokémon that needs to survive a hit.

This strategy also has its weaknesses, namely,(remove) priority moves. It should also be noted that unless you also have a Focus Sash, the Focus Sash is unlikely to help you when facing an opposing CounterCoat Focus Sash user. [I have literally no idea what you're trying to say here. Please reword it or explain it to me.]Also, if you sleep the opponent, then it probably doesn't matter if it's holding a Focus Sash. Sometimes it's possible to Trick the other Pokémon's Focus Sash away and take advantage of it, in addition to crippling the opponent. Pokémon that don't depend on OHKOing the opponent also tend to excel against Focus Sash holders.

Explanation: The main idea of this set is to either Spore the opponent into falling asleep the first turn, or take a hit, survive through Focus Sash, and use Endeavor and then Bullet Punch for the KO. Substitute can be used against another Pokémon using the FEAR strategy.

- CounterCoat:

Protect, Counter, and Mirror Coat work miracles in 1v1. This is mostly due to the large number of Pokémon being all-out attackers. This strategy utilizes bulky Pokémon and their ability to shrug off a hit and bounce the attack back at the opponent for double the damage, most likely KOing them in the process.

This strategy is often countered by very powerful attackers that can OHKO you [Surely you would have a Focus Sash?], and also by using weak attacks to chip away at your Pokémon's health and then using a strong attack for the finishing blow. Most CounterCoat Pokémon are slow and bulky; the most commonly-seen versions of these are Swampert and Blissey. This strategy also has Toxic stalling variants in which the Pokémon uses Toxic against the opponent and semi-stalls their way to victory, but this can be a hassle due to Steel-types being very common in the metagame.

Explanation: Similar Similarly to Blissey, this Swampert set uses Protect first to see what move the opponent is using, then uses Counter/Mirror Coat as appropriate. Earthquake is an overalla powerful attack that makes sure Swampert isn't Taunt bait. Rindo Berry lets Swampert survive unSTABed Grass-type attacks such as Infernape's Grass Knot. Swampert should otherwise be able to survive all attacks outside of STAB Grass-type attacks and Choice Specs Porygon-Z's Hyper Beam [I expect this is a silly question but... why not Focus Sash?]. The Defense EVs let it survive a Jolly Life Orb Breloom's Seed Bomb if it chooses to attack instead of Sporing first. Protect helps it beat potential mixed attackers and Slaking, whose Giga Impact may also KO Swampert. The only problems to this set are sleep abusers, Grass-types, stat-uppers, and also physical Ghost-types such as Shedinja that Counter can't hit. Specially-based Dark-types tend to not be a problem.

-Sash CounterCoat:

This strategy uses the idea of nofocus sash ban, the item Focus Sashto its advantage, assuming that it is allowed under the rules you are playing. The idea behind this strategy is to allow the focus sash opponent to break your Focus Sashto be activated and then either use Counter or Mirror Coat depending on the move. Instead of taking a risk, the move Protect could also be used in order to scout the opponent's move. This way you would know whether to Counter or Mirror Coat. [Protection against Fake Out?] Since these two moves return double the damage, having no Defense and Special defense Defenseevs EVs on the Pokémon will allow the Focus sash Sash to be activated, leaving the user with one HP 1 HP and knocking out the opponent's Pokémon by returning double the damage- (99*2=198%).

[WAIT WAIT WAIT, that's not how Counter and Mirror Coat work at all. The damage done to the opponent is double the HP lost from the opponent's previous attack, so if Swampert had 404 HP, and the Focus Sash is broken, the opponent would take (403*2)=806 HP damage (which is more than any Pokemon in the game has so it's an OHKO regardless).]

External Weather weather effects along with moves that have a fixed damage amount easily counter this strategy. A sandstorm could cause the user to be buffeted by it and thus lose the one HP1 HP that it had left, thus causing a tie.(full stop)this could be seen with Pokémon such as An example of this is Tyranitar and its ability Sand Stream, creating which summons a sandstorm. Moves that do fixed amounts of damage could prevent the focus sash Focus Sash from being activated and thus making the strategy useless [What are these fixed-damage moves? I think you are referring to SonicBoom and Dragon Rage, but both of these moves seem pretty useless, even in 1v1. How on earth do they counter Focus Sash?]. Conditions such as sleep, burn, and poison,(remove) could also ruin the strategy since if the opponent statuses the countercoating Pokémon, then the Pokémon will loose lose a certain amount of health or not be able to move, thus allowing the opponent to not let Focus Sash activate prevent the activation of Focus Sash (in the case of burn and poison) or not let them move and in turn 2HKO them (in the case of Freeze and Sleep freeze and sleep)

- Trick:

The move Trick can be really useful in this metagame, especially against Pokémon that Protect on the first turn. This way, you can lock them into Protect on the second turn, leaving them helpless for the rest of the match as you proceed to KO them.

This strategy is quite viable unless you're facing a powerful attacker,(comma) in which case Tricking them will just help them KO you faster. This strategy also counters common sleep/Toxic and FEAR strategies. It's not seen very often however, since only a few Pokémon can use this strategy well; similar to the standard 6v6 OU metagame, this is mostly seen on Jirachi that like to run Choice Scarf/Choice Specs and Trick.

- All-out Attackers:

These are the most used and one of the most effective strategies in 1v1hit hard. Choice Banded Band or Choice Speced Specs Pokémon are an example of this. Slaking with Choice Band is very effective due to its base 160 Attack. It can KO most Pokémon in one turn and thus not have to face a second turn of Truant.

Powerful attackers come in two variants - bulky and non-bulky. The bulky ones, such as Metagross, are similar to the ones in the standard 6v6 OU metagame. They can take a hit or two and proceed to OHKO or 2HKO their opponent in return, and can usually be paired up with either a Choice Band or a Choice Specs to bolster their damage output. The non-bulky ones strive to KO their opponent using their good base Speed and attacking stats, and can usually hold a Choice Scarf to boost their Speed even further. However, the Choice items are mostly interchangeable, and can be equipped as you see fit.

Explanation: This set is extremely similar to the standard lead Machamp used in OU 6v6. The basic idea is to always DynamicPunch on the first turn,(comma)except against Ghost-types,(comma) to confuse the opponent and bring their chances of successfully attacking down to a coin toss. After that, Machamp can use the most damaging move depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Payback is there for Ghosts that are immune to DynamicPunch. Bullet Punch finishes off weakened enemies (usually Focus Sash Pokémon), while Ice Punch covers Flying-types. Lum Berry is the preferred item to make sleep moves useless the first turn as you confuse the opponent with DynamicPunch.

Explanation: This set abuses Porygon-Z's base 135 Special Attack to KO several threats. The wide array of moves grant it amazing type coverage, and with a Choice Scarf enhancing its above-average Speed [I thought base 100 was the 'average' benchmark? So surely, Porygon-Z has below-average Speed?], it is able to outspeed most Pokémon.

- Stat Changing Pokémon:

Using stat-boosting moves such as Calm Mind can be an effective strategy in 1v1. Because there is no phazing in 1v1, the only way a Pokémon can lose its stat boosts is if the opposing Pokémon has Haze, which is a rare scenario. This means that any stat boosts the Pokémon receives are virtually permanent. Another benefit to using stat-boosting moves is the ability to set up on the Mirror Coat and Counter users that are popular in the 1v1 metagame. Using stat-boosting moves in tandem with recovery moves allows some Pokémon to become extremely powerful. One example of this strategy is CroCune, or Suicune with Calm Mind / Rest / Sleep Talk / Surf. With Suicune's natural bulk combined with a few Calm Mind boosts, it becomes an extremely powerful force both offensively and defensively. Add in the ability to Rest and recover any damage and we get a forcethat is to be reckoned with in the 1v1 metagame.

However, while stat-boosting moves are great, they face their downfall against Taunt users that can prevent any form of stat boosting from happening. Aside from this weakness, stat-boosting moves are a great strategy to consider when choosing your Pokémon for 1v1.

Explanation: Calm Mind up while your HP is slowly cut down and then use restRest to regain that health and then Sleep Talk and win. This strategy is very useful, unless facing something that is an all-out attacker, such as slaking Slaking or Porygon-z Porygon-Z.

- Toxic Stalling:

Using Toxic on a Pokémon and Protecting/recovering then using Protect or a recovery move every turn is an effective way to secure a win. A Pokemon can Toxic on turn one, and then proceed to alternate between Protect and a recovery move as the opponent's health drains away.

This strategy is countered by Steel-types and also by fast attackers. Lum Berry on the opponent can be devastating too, as you will effectively waste your first turn whereas they can attack twice in a row and effectively KO you; making Toxic stalling not the most reliable strategy around. Opposing sleep inducers can also ruin this strategy. Supporting this strategy with actual attacks is a good idea, as then your Toxic staller now has an option to fall back on should things go wrong.

[Mention Taunt?]

- Flinch:

Another strategy in the 1v1 metagame is to rely on the RNG to flinch your opponent for the win. Serene Grace users such as Jirachi and Togekiss, combined with their respective flinching moves, Iron Head and Air Slash, have a 60% chance to flinch the enemy with each attack. While a 60% flinch rate alone is a force to be reckoned with, by combining this with paralysis moves such as Body Slam and Thunder Wave, you can further abuse the RNG to your advantage. When a 60% flinch rate move attacks a paralyzed Pokémon, your opponent only has a 30% chance of successfully completing an attack because of the 25% chance for full paralysis. Paralysis also reduces the Pokémon's Speed to 25%, which ensures that the flincher can outspeed the opposing Pokémon and hax it to death. Serene Grace users can also abuse this flinch rate by using Choice Scarf in lieu of a paralysis move to ensure that they outspeed their opponents so that they can flinch their way to victory.

[Nothing about Fake Out?]

While using a flincher may seem "cheap", it is simply a strategy that relies on probability to win and is definitely a viable strategy.

Explanation: The main strategy behind Choice Scarf Jirachi is to outspeed the opposing Pokémon and flinch it to death with either Iron Head or Zen Headbutt, depending on what the opposing Pokémon is. Thanks to Serene Grace, Jirachi has a 60% flinch rate with both moves [ERROR ERROR INCORRECT - Zen Headbutt only has a 40% chance to flinch the target factoring in Serene Grace], allowing it to hax its way to victory. The other moves are there for coverage in case the opposing Pokémon resists both of Jirachi's STAB flinching moves. Fire Punch can be used over one of the elemental punches so that Jirachi can hit Steels for super effective damage.

It should probably be noted that Heatran completely counters this set, but as Heatran isn't extremely common in the 1v1 metagame it isn't too big of a worry.

- Sleepers:

Using sleep-inducing moves can be extremely effective in 1v1. Disabling your opponent with sleep for 2-5 turns is invaluable as it allows you to bombard your opponent with attacks while remaining unharmed. Some of the common moves for this strategy are Spore, Sleep Powder, Hypnosis, and Yawn. Spore is probably the most commonly used sleep move due to its 100% accuracy and the fact that it is used on Breloom, which can take full advantage of the sleep turns to set up a Substitute and begin using Focus Punch. As Spore is only found on a select few Pokémon, Sleep Powder and Hypnosis are used as well. However, these moves are risky due to their lower accuracy. Yawn is almost always used in conjunction with Protect to let the sleep take effect while avoiding damage. A FEAR Smeargle can also be an example of this strategy, using Spore to send the opponent to sleep,followed by Endeavor and a Bullet Punch for the KO.

While sleep is certainly a very good strategy, it does have its weaknesses. Some Pokémon, such as Machamp, will run Lum Berry just to counter the sleep move and then OHKO the sleep user. Although uncommon in 1v1, some Pokémon have abilities such as Insomnia to prevent sleep or Early Bird to limit its effectiveness. Also, many of the sleep users are frail and can easily be taken out by a faster Pokémon.

Lum berry Berry and Chesto Berry are common on Pokémon in this metagame, seeing as Sleepers sleep-inducers can have a free sweep if a Pokémon goes off to sleep. These berries Berries prevent the user from falling asleep and this helps to counter opposing sleep-inducers, especially for those Pokemon most at risk. This strategy is very effective against Pokémon that use Yawn/Protect since they waste 1 turn yawning with Yawn and giving give you a free hit until they realize that you have a Lum Berry and that you get another free hit at them. These berries Berries are mostly seen on all-out attackers such as Machamp.

Choice Items:

Choice Items are plentiful in this metagame, ranging from Choice Scarf to Choice Specs and Choice Band. Choice Specs and Band are usually seen on attackers that tend to aim for the OHKO if not a 2HKO. These items boost previously high stats of these attacking Pokémon and thus increase the chances of a win. A Choice Band for instance would be seen a good item choice on a Slaking very often due to Slaking having a very high base attackAttack stat, which combinedadded with attack evsAttack EVs and a choice bandChoice Band sends Slaking's power becomes one to recon through the roof.Mail

The item Mail is a very peculiar choice to put on a pokemon Pokemon. It seemingly has no benefits, as it does nothing inside of battle. It does, in fact, have one benefit,it being that since it cannot be tricked Tricked away from the holder. While this may not seems seem useful, it has merits on some Pokemon, namely on Pokemon those who are dependent on changing moves but have little use for an item.

The most prominent example of this is like a defensive Pokemon, such as Blissey. The idea behind it is to counter use Counter against Pokemon using physical attacks, and wear down Pokemon using special attacks with Toxic and a recovery move. The problem is, a Pokemon with Trick ruins this strategy by Tricking Blissey a choice Choice item. This doesn’t let it heal prevents it from healing and limits it to one move, which is fatal. Mail cannot be tricked Tricked away and is a nasty surprise for a Pokemon using Trick, only to get locked into a useless move while its HP is whittled down by Toxic. Blissey away. This strategy was popularized by Ferrouswheel, when he won the Close Combat tournament using this Pokemon:

Focus Sash:This item serves 1 main purpose: To prevent Prevent OHKOs and give the user another chance to make an attack. The item Focus sash Focus Sash is mostly paired with the F.E.A.R. strategy. Focus sash Focus Sash can also be used with weak Pokémon that carry Counter/Mirror Coat and maybe protect, so the Focus Sash can serve as a medium to give the user a definite KO if Counter/Mirror Coat is used.

+ Final words:

1v1 is a fast-paced metagame where the Pokémon you choose can mean everything. This metagame has a lot of luck involved and that's what makes it exciting,(comma) as you don't know what is coming next. I hope this guide has helped you get a better understanding of what the metagame is like, and if fast-paced and fun is what you're looking for, then the 1v1 metagame is for you.

[Can I just ask, what's the point of Soul Dew Clause when Lati@s are banned anyway?]

Click to expand...

The clauses that were written up originally were copied from the standard one with a few modifications, so that stayed.

[I expect this is a silly question but... why not Focus Sash?]

Click to expand...

Since, then it would be a Sashed Counter Coater. This has its own items such as Rindo berry which can win games for you if you are running a Swampert, since this prevents a OHKO from a grass move in some cases

[WAIT WAIT WAIT, that's not how Counter and Mirror Coat work at all. The damage done to the opponent is double the HP lost from the opponent's previous attack, so if Swampert had 404 HP, and the Focus Sash is broken, the opponent would take (403*2)=806 HP damage (which is more than any Pokemon in the game has so it's an OHKO regardless).]

Click to expand...

Thats what it does.

[What are these fixed-damage moves? I think you are referring to SonicBoom and Dragon Rage, but both of these moves seem pretty useless, even in 1v1. How on earth do they counter Focus Sash?]

Click to expand...

Yes, they are useless, but they can easily counter a Focus Sash user. I forgot to add, which I did, moves that do less than 50% Which will also be effective.

Just posting to say, as regards Counter and Mirror Coat, I understand that you know how they work, and you explained it perfectly in the analysis; the only point I took objection to, however, was when you said:

...damage - (99*2=198%).

Click to expand...

This is because you are not necessarily doing 198% to the opponent, which is what your calculation implied. Obviously the percentage damage done to the opponent would differ if you were against an Infernape or a Vaporeon, say. For that reason I thought it best that you take out the calculation, nothing more.

Oh, and you seem to have left quite a few bits of blue text in the guide from when you made the changes, so perhaps you should go through and correct those. After you've done that, I'll stamp it.